Bridges to Step Down as Head of Charter and Magnet Schools Over Conflict of Interest

Published: Tuesday, February 19, 2013 at 11:55 p.m.

Last Modified: Tuesday, February 19, 2013 at 11:55 p.m.

BARTOW | Carolyn Bridges will step aside from her job as head of magnet, choice and charter schools for the Polk County School District because her husband is Wes Bridges, the lawyer for the School Board.

Facts

Wes Bridges said he checked with The Florida Bar and was told there was no ethical violation if he did legal work involving his wife's job duties.

School Board member Hunt Berryman said that poses a conflict of interest.

The good news for Carolyn Bridges: The board values her and she'll be transferred to another job with the district at the same salary of $103,622 per year.

Interim School Superintendent John Stewart said after Tuesday's School Board work session that he doesn't have anyone in particular in mind for Carolyn Bridges' job, nor does he know what position she will be moved to.

At the work session, Berryman brought the issue up, calling it "a serious conflict of interest."

It's not perception of a conflict, it is real, Berryman said. "It's a conflict we need to take care of."

The other board members did not weigh in on the conflict issue.

But Stewart told the board he would switch Carolyn Bridges to a new job.

Stewart after the meeting declined to say whether he considered the situation to be a conflict..

Wes Bridges, 51, said in an interview that about a year and a half ago, the School Board had directed him not to handle routine legal work or litigation involving his wife.

But it cost the district some money, and that was part of the rub on Tuesday.

Boswell & Dunlap in Bartow does legal work for the district since Wes Bridges is the sole lawyer working full time for the board. Don Wilson, a lawyer who works for the law firm, recently wrote a letter to Stewart. Wilson said that Boswell & Dunlap billed the district $102,896 for legal work on charter schools in the 2011-2012 school year.

There was other money paid to a Tampa law firm for its work on a case involving Lake Wales lawyer Robin Gibson. Wes Bridges estimates that cost about $20,000.

Berryman said spending more than $100,000 per year because of the conflict was "unconscionable."

Wes Bridges said he doesn't think there is a conflict. He said he checked with The Florida Bar and was told there was no ethical violation if he did legal work involving his wife's job duties.

"But we work at the pleasure of the School Board," Wes Bridges said.

Wilson, the Boswell and Dunlap lawyer, is adamant there is no conflict.

He said a conflict is when a lawyer represents both sides and different positions. Wes and Carolyn Bridges, Wilson said, "represent the same side."

Carolyn Bridges' shoes will be hard to fill because "she brings a lot to this district," board member Kay Fields said.

Wes Bridges is his wife's biggest booster, saying she's the best in Florida at what she does. He is taking the commotion in stride while his wife is taking it even better.

Carolyn Bridges, 53, who began working for the district in 1983, said she has worked at her current job for 14 years. She said she expects her transfer to come in June, at the end of the school year and her current contract, but before that would be OK, too.

"If there's a conflict, there a conflict," she said. "Then we need to address it.

"I'm kind of excited about a change and a new challenge. I'm glad that the superintendent has confidence in me to do something else. Why get upset about something that may wind up being the best thing in the world?"

[ Rick Rousos can be reached at rick.rousos@theledger.com or 863-802-7509. ]

<p>BARTOW | Carolyn Bridges will step aside from her job as head of magnet, choice and charter schools for the Polk County School District because her husband is Wes Bridges, the lawyer for the School Board.</p><p>School Board member Hunt Berryman said that poses a conflict of interest.</p><p>The good news for Carolyn Bridges: The board values her and she'll be transferred to another job with the district at the same salary of $103,622 per year.</p><p>Interim School Superintendent John Stewart said after Tuesday's School Board work session that he doesn't have anyone in particular in mind for Carolyn Bridges' job, nor does he know what position she will be moved to.</p><p>At the work session, Berryman brought the issue up, calling it "a serious conflict of interest."</p><p>It's not perception of a conflict, it is real, Berryman said. "It's a conflict we need to take care of."</p><p>The other board members did not weigh in on the conflict issue.</p><p>But Stewart told the board he would switch Carolyn Bridges to a new job.</p><p>Stewart after the meeting declined to say whether he considered the situation to be a conflict..</p><p>Wes Bridges, 51, said in an interview that about a year and a half ago, the School Board had directed him not to handle routine legal work or litigation involving his wife.</p><p>But it cost the district some money, and that was part of the rub on Tuesday.</p><p>Boswell & Dunlap in Bartow does legal work for the district since Wes Bridges is the sole lawyer working full time for the board. Don Wilson, a lawyer who works for the law firm, recently wrote a letter to Stewart. Wilson said that Boswell & Dunlap billed the district $102,896 for legal work on charter schools in the 2011-2012 school year.</p><p>There was other money paid to a Tampa law firm for its work on a case involving Lake Wales lawyer Robin Gibson. Wes Bridges estimates that cost about $20,000.</p><p>Berryman said spending more than $100,000 per year because of the conflict was "unconscionable."</p><p>Wes Bridges said he doesn't think there is a conflict. He said he checked with The Florida Bar and was told there was no ethical violation if he did legal work involving his wife's job duties.</p><p>"But we work at the pleasure of the School Board," Wes Bridges said.</p><p>Wilson, the Boswell and Dunlap lawyer, is adamant there is no conflict.</p><p>He said a conflict is when a lawyer represents both sides and different positions. Wes and Carolyn Bridges, Wilson said, "represent the same side."</p><p>Carolyn Bridges' shoes will be hard to fill because "she brings a lot to this district," board member Kay Fields said.</p><p>Wes Bridges is his wife's biggest booster, saying she's the best in Florida at what she does. He is taking the commotion in stride while his wife is taking it even better.</p><p>Carolyn Bridges, 53, who began working for the district in 1983, said she has worked at her current job for 14 years. She said she expects her transfer to come in June, at the end of the school year and her current contract, but before that would be OK, too.</p><p>"If there's a conflict, there a conflict," she said. "Then we need to address it.</p><p>"I'm kind of excited about a change and a new challenge. I'm glad that the superintendent has confidence in me to do something else. Why get upset about something that may wind up being the best thing in the world?"</p><p> </p><p>[ Rick Rousos can be reached at rick.rousos@theledger.com or 863-802-7509. ]</p>